Tishaa Kumar, daughter of former actor and T-Series co-owner Krishan Kumar and former actress Tanya Singh, passed away at the age of just 20 years in July this year. Just a day ago, debunking the reports that had emerged after the young girl’s death blaming cancer as the cause of death, the grieving mother shared on her Instagram profile that Tishaa was a victim of gross misdiagnosis and incorrect medical treatment.
What Tanya Singh said
Tanya Singh wrote: ‘”How,What,Why’ A lot of people have been writing and asking me to tell what happened…
…she had a vaccine at age 15&1/2 which possibly triggered an autoimmune situation , which was wrongly diagnosed(we did not know this at the time).”
Fighting to cope with the irreparable loss, Tanya sought to help avert a similar tragedy striking other homes. She continued in the post: “Parents, if, God forbid your child just has ‘lymph node swellings’~ PLEASE make sure to get a second & third opinion before going in for a ‘bone-marrow’ test or a biopsy. Lymph nodes are the body’s defence guards & they can also swell due to emotional trauma, etc, or due to a previous infection not treated fully. We were already sucked into the ‘medical trap’ much before all this information found us…I pray daily that no kid should ever have to face this cruel world of medical traps or hidden negative forces.”
Earlier in September, on what would have been Tishaa’s 21st birthday, the mother had posted a long note with a line that read:
“We both know it’s the wrong ‘narrative, there was no ‘prolonged battle.”
Sadly, the family must cope with the fact that the child is no more – whether it was a case of maltreatment or not. Whether it was Lymphoma (a type of cancer that begins in the lymph nodes or in the bone marrow, the spleen, or the intestinal tract) or was an autoimmune reaction triggered by the vaccine, causing inflammation, it creates numerous concerns for parents that we sought answers for from practicing medical experts.
What are lymph nodes?
Each one of us have lymph nodes in our body. These bean-shaped, pea-sized mounds of tissue form a network of clusters throughout the body and are essential to our survival. They are one part of the immune system that helps defend the body against health threats. According to Harvard Health, lymph nodes filter lymphatic fluid (lymph), a white-yellow fluid that originates in the bloodstream.
What are swollen lymph glands?
Harvard Health states that the term "swollen glands" usually refers to enlarged lymph nodes and are not actually glands but small bundles of white blood cells that are present in multiple areas throughout our body.
An imaging test such as a CT or an MRI scan can show that the human body has hundreds of lymph nodes and are most noticeable — in the neck, armpits, and groin — as well as in the chest and abdomen.
What is the role of lymph nodes?
Our lymph nodes literally checks lymphatic fluid for infection or other potential triggers of illness. It is like a vigilant guard mechanism that keeps looking if any unwanted elements have infiltrated the system and creating a threat to the health or life. If threats are found, white cells called lymphocytes, and other immune cells within the lymph nodes, identify and try to eliminate them.
The protocol that lymph nodes follow:
Detect and eliminate infectious organisms and microbes
Remove abnormal cells, including cancer cells and precancerous cells
Eliminate damaged cells or by products of metabolism that might cause illness.
When do lymph nodes swell and what to do?
If lymph nodes get enlarged and become tender, it is most likely that they're doing their job, especially when reacting to an infection. But soon, as soon as the crisis is over, they should return to normal promptly when the infection resolves.
Here is what Dr Rajanshu Tiwari, Consultant Diabetologist and Physician, Chembur, Mumbai said when asked what can trigger an autoimmune disorder/reaction in a seemingly perfectly healthy individual, “Drug induced Immune response is seen in 5-10% patients. This is generally a mild reaction with most patients recover from this. It is basically an immune response of our body to a drug, leading to complications in a few patients,” Dr Rajanshu Tiwari said.
Dr. Saphalta Baghmar, Senior Consultant - M.D (Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology) at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad said: “Autoimmune reactions can occur because of infections, allergic reactions to certain medicines or vaccines… There are several underlying autoimmune diseases like Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis or infections like: virus- CMV, HIV, parasites infection like toxoplasmosis, leishmaniasi. These entities are difficult to differentiate from each other as they mimic each other’s symptoms and presentation. Science has lots of grey area and may take some time to understand.”
What must one do when one notices lymph nodes developing knots/pain
“Firstly, immediate doctor consultation is needed to assess the nodes. A workup by lab tests and imaging guides a physician to find basic cause and then plan treatment,” Dr Rajanshu Tiwari said.
Dr. Saphalta Baghmar added, “Whenever you have a lymph node enlargement, it’s better to go to a doctor. Blood tests, scans and biopsies will be done. According to the diagnosis, treatment is advised. If no response is seen then need to inform the doctor about it.”